Fluid pressure amplifying device



' June 1939- E. A. ROCKWELL FLUID PRESSURHAMPLIFYING DEVICE Filed May 18, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet '1 INVENTOR w ,W A W E ATTORNEY June 27, "1939. E LL 2,163,764

FLUID PRESSURE AMPLIFYING DEVICE Filed May 18,. 1934 3' Sheets-Sheet 2 4 -|NVENTOR I I dwardA.Rac /rwe/l ATTORNEY June 27, 1939. .E. A. ROCKWELL FLUID PRESSURE AMPLIFYING DEVICE Filed May 18, 1934 s SheetS-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Edward A Rockwell.

ATTORNEY Patented June'27, i939.

PATENT oFi-"ica FLUID PRESSURE AMPLIFYING psvior;

Edward A. Rockwell, Chicago, Ill.,' assignor, by mesne assignments, to General Auto Parts Cor poration, a corporation of Delaware Application May-18,1934, Serial No. "126.426- I 3 Claims. (c1. 103-11) 'This invention pertains to'apparatus for the amplifying of work by fluid pressure power. I It has for an object'provision by which the work .performed'in causing the actuation of the device '5 is amplified by the actuation thereof.

Another object is provision of the above character adapted to the controland actuation of automotive apparatus. p

A further object is the provisionof a central 10 power station to supply hydraulic fluid under pressure to the variousdevices-tobe actuated.

- A still further object is the provision of a unit of the above type that automatically maintains the desired pressure. r

Another purpose is the provision .of a pump adapted to operate continuously but to unload automatically when the desired pressure is' reached. I

It is further intended to provide two pumps in a single station,' one supplementing the other. Another object is to provide for operation of a 1 main pumpby the engine and an automatic secondary pump operable by auxiliary means when the engine is stopped.

2 A further object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic control means in which pressure is built up to any'desired point and automatically trapped and maintained thereat.

A further purpose is the provision of valving control of apparatus remote from the valvin means and pressure source.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of combined engine-driven and electric central hydraulic power station.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same along the 35 lines- 22 in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same in the plane of the two pumps taken on line 3--.-3 of Figs. 2and4. v

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the lines 4-4 in 4ilFig. 3. I Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the lines 5-5 in Fig. 2.

' Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the unit, and

Fig. 7 is a diagram of the pump motor'connec-f tions.

Referring to the figures, the numeral generally denotesa central hydraulic power station having "a body 2|, containing a high pressure chamber 22 and lo'w) 'pressure chamber 23, Fig. 4.

A lower "cylindrical portion 24 of body 2|, Figs. 2

and 5, contains a pump casing 25 and an end plate 26 therefor, fastenedtogether in sealing relation and'secured in'portion 24 with packing 21 by bolts 23 through an interior cover plate 29. Ahand hole trode insulatedly fixed in the body 2| and hav- 55 30 in body 2| necessary for the insertion of the pump parts, is closed by a gasket 3| on an exterior plate 32 secured by cap screws 33.

Meshing'gear pinions 34 and 35 have integral shafts 36 and 31 both journalledin the pump casing 25 and end plate 26. Theshaft 31 protrudes 5 through an extension 38 of casing 25,and is adapted to be engaged in any suitable manner with a rotating part (not shown). The pinions34 and 35 together with their shafts and easing as noted, form a gear pump generally 10 denoted by the numeral 40 and having an upwardly extending discharge passage 4| and a downwardly extending inlet passage 42: An inclined passage 42a connects the inlet passage 42. with the low pressure chamber 23. 1 The numeral 43 denotes a horizontal'passage intersecting the discharge passage 4| and leading to an upward hole 44. A ball 45 in a chamber 46 acts as a downwardly closing check valve on the hole 44. A short passage 41, Fig. 1, connects the 20 chamber 46 with the high pressure chamber 22. A plug 48 closes the upper end of chamber 46.

An inclined bypass 49, Figl 5, intersects a. horizontal cylindrical bore 50 and beyond it aseco'nd inclined passage 5| connecting an upward bay 52 25 of the low pressure chamber 23 with an upper switch chamber 53 formed in body 2| completed by a bolted sealing cap 54, said cap' 54 being removed in the plan view, Fig. l.

. A piston valve 55, having an annular groove 55 30 adapted to register with inclined passage 49, is slidable in the bore 50 and is urged to the left (Fig. 2) by a compression spring 51. The piston valve 55 is reduced at 58 leaving a flange 59' between 58 and the annular groove 56. p 35 A reduced extension 60 of piston valve 55 is slidable in sealing relationin a small bore 6| opening into the high pressure chamber 22 asshown in Fig. 1. y A latch plunger 52 slidable vertically in the body 2| and projecting into the switch chamber 53, has a 'lower point 63 engaging the sideof to control the intersectionof discharge passage 1 4| and horizontal passage. 'A bore 65 leads upwardly into piston. Piston. extends up-' ward into the switchchamber 53.

A leaf spring fit centrally secured to'cap 54 urges plunger 52 and flow valve piston 64 downward. The numeral 51 Figs. 1 and 2, denotes an elecing an outward extension 88 provided with a binding nut 69, Fig. 1.

A switch bar. 89,' which may be of resilient sheet metal having a' U-shaped cross section adapted to engage electrode 61 is pivoted to latch plunger 62 at 99 and has a slot 9i engaging a pin 92 in the top of flow valve piston 69.

A flexible diaphragm 93, Fig. 2, is clamped in sealing relation between a circular cap 94 and an annular face 95 of body 2I, enclosing a cushion chamber 96 provided with a filler valve 91. A dished member 98 disposed below diaphragm 93 and provided with orifices 98a opening into the high pressure chamber 22, serves to limit the downward flexure of diaphragm 93.

The numeral 99 generally indicates an electric motor secured to body 2| and having a shaft I99 coupled by means of a sleeve I9I to the driveshaft I92 of a gear pump I93. The discharge passage I94 of pump I93 connects through a ball check .valve I95 withthe horizontal passage 93. An inlet passage I96 of pump I93 opens into the low pressure chamber 23.

"I'he numerals an, IBM, mu), I9Ic and mm,-

Fig. 3, generally refer to control or modulating valves of which'the ,valve I91 shown in section in Fig. 4 is typical.

Referring to Fig. 4, a sleeve I98 is tightly held in body 2: and has slots ms and no in communication with the high and low pressure chambers 22 and 23 respectively. Sleeve I98 is provided with'an upper internal shoulder II I. A hollow piston II2 slidable insleeve I98, comprises lateral ports 3 and H9 adapted to register with slots I99 and H9 respectively. Piston H2 is formed with a bottom flange H5 and is urged upward by a spring I I 50. backed by a bushing I I8 threaded into body M. The bushing H9 re- I ceives a pipe ortubing fitting II? for connecting a pressure supply line IIB.

A sealing cup I19 of leather or other suitable material is pressed downward on the topof a piston I I2 by a light follower spring I29 in an upper chamber I2I. A side opening I22 receives a tubing connector I23 for a control line I 29.

Thenumerals I25 and I29 indicate the binding posts of the motor 99. 1

The body 2i is provided with lugs I 2? and I28 for attachment to the engine, Fig. 1.

Referring to the wiring diagram Fig- 7, the numeral 231 indicates a double pole'switch, 238

a battery, 239 the ignition apparatus of the auto- 7 initially filled with fluid, the engine being stopped, the cushion chamber 96 is inflated with compressed air through valve 9'! to approximately the pressure desired to be maintained in the high pressurechamber 22, thus forcing the diaphragm 93 against the dished backing member 98 as shown in Fig. 2.

The pressure in the chamber 22 being low, the spring 51, Fig. 2, has forced the piston 55 to the left, allowing the point 93 of the plunger 92 to be forced down into the annular groove 58 by gravity and the leaf spring 69. Also since no flow isoccurring' through the discharge passage 9|, the flow valve piston 99- is also allowed to drop. Both plunger 92 and piston 94 being down, theswitch bar 89 is in engagement with elecswitch 231 Fig. 7 is closed, thus closing parallel ing the circuit of motor 99.

sage I94, past the ball valve I to the horizontal passage 43, thence through passage 44 past ball check 45 through chamber 46 and passage 4'! to the high pressure chamber 22, raising the pressure therein.

When the engine starts, the gear pump 49 is operated also drawing fluid from low pressure chamber 23 through inclined passage 42a and inlet passage 42, Fig. 2 and discharging through passage M to -horizontal passage 43 and thence to the high pressure chamber 22 by the course described above. sage 4! to horizontal passage 43 raises the flow valve piston 64, forcing the switch bar 89 upward out of contact with electrode 81 and break- The motor. stops and pump I93 stops, but the pump 49 continues to run, being directly connected to the engine. As the pressure builds up in the high pressure chamber 22 it acts on the end of the reduced extension 99 of piston-55, tending to force the The flow from discharge paslatter to'the right against the resistance of the second inclined passage 5! directly to the low.

pressure chamber 23. v The ball 45 in chamber 46 closes the passage 44, trapping the accumulated fluid in the high pressure chamber 22.

The pump 99 continues to run but does practically no work, all fluid being by-passed as described. This condition continues as long as the trapped pressure in chamber 22 and the resistance of the point 63 is sumcientto hold piston 55 tothe right. When the pressure in chamber 22 falls to a predetermined point, due for instance to the release of fluid from .chamber 22 to a device to be operated, as hereinafter explained, the spring 5"l'forces flange 59 to raise the plunger 62 and snaps the piston 55 to the left, closing the bypass. The pump nowiorces fluid past thecheck ball 95 into high pressure chamber 22 as previously described, until the maximum is again reached and the bypass reopened. It is seen from the foregoingdescription the. as long as the engine is operating the pump .49 maintains the fluid pressure within predetermined limits in the high pressure chamber 22, pumping just sufficient fluid thereto to make up for that fed to the controlled devices and idling the remainder of the time.

Should the engine stall with the ignition switch a ton 64 to drop, throwing the switch bar 99 into contact with the electrode 91 to start the motor 99. I

The pump I99 now takes up the load, pumping fluid to high pressure chamber 22 either until the engine is restarted or the build up of pressure in chamber 22 throws piston II to the right er '2. It should benoted and breaksgthe motor circuit the plug that raising either plunger 82 orpiston it breaks the switch and stops the motor.-

To summarize, the two pumps cooperate to maintain the desired pressure in the high pressure chamber at all times while the ignition switch is closed, neither -p ump doing any unnecessary work.

It is obvious that the foregoing process of trap I ping the high pressure and unloading the pump automatically is highly superior to previous methods of pressure regulation by spring loaded. by-

passes, etc., in which the pump is under load at all times with large wear, waste of power and heating of thefluid. i

The diaphragm 83 and inflated chamber 96,

' Fig. 2, provide a' cushion in the high pressure side of the apparatus, fluctuations in pressure being communicated through the holes Ola to the yielding diaphragm. If the inflation pressure of chamber 06 is made" about midway in the differential range 01' the pressure of chamber 22 the device functions as an accumulator to maintain a smooth action of the high pressure fluid during valve operation and pump loading or i. v unloading.

In the position shown in Fig. 4,the low presl sure chamber 23 is in communication with the I pressure supply line Ii. throughthe interior of the hollow piston ll2,-p'ort lil -and slot H0. When a pressure is placed on the fluid in the control line I24, this 'pressure ,is transmitted through the tube I24 to the top ofthe piston H2,

forcing the latter downward. This downward motion of the piston H2 first moves the porti it out o! 'registry with the slot lit, shutting oi! the.

low pressure chamber 23. The continued downward motion of the piston H2 brings theport I ll into registry with the slot ill, admitting" high fluid pressure to the interior of the hollow piston.il2, and thence through the tube ill' for work-performing movement. At the same time the high pressure in the interior and on the bottom of the valve 2 throws illupward again so 'as to close oi! the high fluid pressure, the.

build upof'high'pressu're necessary to cause the shut-oil depending on the resisting pressure applied through the tube i ll. Thus the valve "1 functions to build up a pressure proportional to the applied force and at once shuts off to hold the same pressure'so long as the applied force is maintained constant, Release of the pressure above the valve piston 2 moves the valve 2 upwardly tobring the port I it into registry with the slot ill and thereby exhausts the pressure from the pipe ill into the low pressure chamber 21 in proportion tothe release-of the pressure in the pipe I24. To summarise the foregoing, the central power plant is adapted to furnish modulated fluid pressure to power actuators, the modulation being eflected in proportionto the controlling force ex- 1 erted. on the fluid While the'ivaive .m is shown modulated by 'iiuid presmre, it is obvious that it may also be adaptedto regulation by direct mechanical linkage.

While 'the high and low pressure containers 0! the central power units are generally described as chambers, it is obvious that they may also be pipes without departing from the spirit of the invention. Certain of the ,appended claims refer to pressure zones",' which are de-. fined as the volume of whatever form in which the noted pressuresexist.

Since a number ofdiflerent devices maybe op-' erated from the central .power station, each pro-- videdwith its own modulating control valve, it is evident that the actual pressure supplied to each device is independent of the others, though all are supplied from a common source of trapped pressure. The diaphragm 93 applied to the high pressure chamber 22 gives the latter an accumulated demand capacity.

' What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a zone adapted to-contain a fluid under pressure, a pump normally operableto deliver fluid to said zone,,a second pump adapted'to deiiverfluid to .said zone, means fl to actuate said second pump. means -operable by a source of .fluid pressure comprising a pump operative by the driving mechanism 01. the vehicle, a switch'operative by a change in .said

; 2. In an automotive vehicle, in combination,

fluid pressure, an auxiliary pump, an electric motor operatively connected to said auxiliary pump, a source of electric current, an ignition circuit connection including switching means,

andv an electric circuit connection between said source oi 'current andysaid motor including switching means operative conjointly with said.

ignition switching means and the switch operative by a. change of fluid pressure in said source.

3. In a work amplifying device in combination,

a motor providing a variablesource oi power for driving a driven part, variable-speed fluid pump ving means having a drive for driving it from the j variable source of power of said motor, a second electrically driven fluid pumping nieans,'devices automatically operable tor makingeflective the pumping action of each or said pumping means and accumulating the power thereof, comprising elements forming a demand capacity chamher, and pressure responsive means adapted to insure the'operation of said part, controlled by the pressure in said chamber and adapted to j make said first-pumping means ineflective at a predetermined high pressure and bring into op-.

eration said s'econdpumping means,- by control ling said device for making eil'ective the second pumping means when the supply by the said first pumping means'is insumcient for driving said 

